Northeast Louisiana Delta African-American Heritage Museum

The Northeast Louisiana Delta African-American Heritage Museum is the only stop in Ouachita Parish on Louisiana’s African-American Heritage Trail.

The trail carves out a path from northern to southern Louisiana, highlighting sites of cultural and historical importance to the experience of African-Americans in the state.

Monroe’s museum is housed in a former women’s hat store on Plum Street and is a small, six-room attraction. But director Lorraine Slacks is hopeful that construction will get under way in July on a new $3 million facility within Chennault Park.

“We’ve had some challenges, but we’ve been able to meet them and we’re ready to go out for bid again,” Slacks said.

The museum’s new building will hold an expanded collection, including interactive exhibits, art shows, space for traveling displays, a classroom and a cafe serving authentic American and African-American cuisine.

“The museum will be much improved so we can serve the community and the tri-state area,” Slacks said. “People come from across the United States to do research here, and we will have an expanded research facility.”

Current exhibits that impress museum visitors are those that feature the African-American pioneers who helped to settle Monroe and the displays that show the affect African-Americans had on the community at large, she said.

“We try to dispel myths about African-American heritage and African-American customs,” Slacks said. “We do as much as we can to have people go away with better understanding of the importance of assimilation, brotherhood and community.

“The museum is not just for African-Americans. It’s of economic importance to the community, and we invite everybody to come be part of the northeastern Louisiana African-American experience.”